Tim Rice

Tim Rice (born November 10, 1944, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England) English lyricist who coauthored some of the most successful stage and film musicals of the 20th century. He often collaborated with Andrew Lloyd Webber, and their notable works included Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita.

After singing briefly with the pop group the Aardvarks during his late teens, Rice temporarily sidelined his passion for music to go to law school. In 1965, however, while still on track toward the legal profession, he was introduced to Andrew Lloyd Webber, a young composer in need of a lyricist, and the two began what would become a long-term musical partnership. Although their first stage musical, The Likes of Us (1965), went unperformed for 40 years, Rice decided to abandon his legal aspirations to pursue his musical interests. He went to work in the music industry—first as an administrative trainee and then as an executive assistant—while continuing his collaboration with Lloyd Webber. The biblically inspired oratorio Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1968) was their next production. Composed originally for a school chorus at the request of a family friend of Lloyd Webber, the work met with unexpected success and later, as an expanded stage show, became a smash hit in the United Kingdom and, eventually, across the globe.

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Rice subsequently left his position as a music-industry professional to focus on his creative work with Lloyd Webber. Their innovative yet controversial rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar was released as a concept album in 1970 and was staged the following year. It met with resounding international acclaim and enjoyed long runs both in London and in New York City on Broadway; a film version appeared in 1973. Rice’s last major collaboration with Lloyd Webber during the 20th century was the Tony Award-winning musical Evita, released on record in 1976 before making its London stage debut in 1978. With a story based on the life of former Argentine first lady Eva Perón, the show produced the international hit song “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina.” For the cast show album, Rice won the first of several Grammy Awards. A 1996 film adaptation featured a new Rice–Lloyd Webber song, “You Must Love Me,” performed by pop star Madonna. It won an Academy Award for best original song.

During the 1980s Rice collaborated with composer Stephen Oliver on the stage production Blondel (1983) and with Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, both veterans of the pop group ABBA, on the musical Chess (1984, first staged in 1986). The latter show yielded the pop hits “I Know Him So Well” and “One Night in Bangkok.” In the 1990s he worked primarily on animated feature films, including Disney’s Aladdin (1992), with composer Alan Menken; their song “A Whole New World” won an Academy Award as well as two Grammys. Rice had continued success with The Lion King (1994), collaborating with singer-songwriter Elton John on various songs, notably the Oscar-winning “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” The two men also worked on the 2019 CGI “live-action” version of that movie and on The Road to El Dorado (2000). Rice’s other film credits included Beauty and the Beast (2017).

Rice continued to work in the theatre, and he reteamed with John on the stage adaptation of The Lion King (1997) as well as a revival of Aida (2000). For the musical The Wizard of Oz (2011), which was based on the 1939 film, Rice reunited with Lloyd Webber to write several new songs; it was their first major collaboration in more than three decades. Rice’s later credits included the musical From Here to Eternity (2013), which was adapted from the novel by James Jones. In 2018 Rice coproduced a live telecast of Jesus Christ Superstar, and he won a Creative Arts Emmy Award when it was named best live variety special. With the honour, Rice joined the small group of entertainers who have won an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony).

Rice was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994.